Speaking to -
Closer to the family

Who are the people bringing Baia Vista to life? In this interview series, we talk to the people behind the project: from buyers and investors to designers, builders and others involved. Each with their own story, a unique vision and a special bond with Curaçao.

Be inspired by their motivations, dreams and experiences - and discover how they are building something beautiful together on this sunny island.

Interview with buyers Jan & Elly

For Jan & Elly, Curaçao has been a familiar and dear island for many years. The love for this piece of the Caribbean Netherlands began with a honeymoon in the 1990s, grew with holidays with the family and took on new meaning when their daughter settled permanently on the island.

With their purchase in Baia Vista, they are realising a long-cherished dream: their own place under the sun, close to their family, in the middle of the peace and nature of Saint George.

For Jan & Elly, the connection with Curaçao began back in 1996, during their honeymoon. At the time, they stayed with friends who lived on the island for a year. The atmosphere, the sun, the people - it left a lasting impression. Yet it took a while before they returned. From 2013, they made the island a regular summer destination with their three daughters.

But the connection to Curaçao only really became personal when their eldest daughter Melissa left for the island in 2017 for a four-month internship. That temporary trip grew into a new chapter: she returned, found work there, and, together with her partner, built a life in Sint Joris Hofi. They have since become parents of a baby son.

What does that do to you as parents, when your daughter lives so far away?
Elly says: “It's still hard - especially for mothers. You miss her, you miss everything. But we are also incredibly proud. They have found their place, built their home, started a family. They have really built something beautiful.”

Slowly but surely, Jan & Elly also started itching. The thought of having their own place on the island, not only to enjoy the sun and climate, but especially to be closer to their daughter, grew stronger and stronger.

When did the moment come when you guys decided: we're doing it?
“When Melissa moved into St George's, we felt more and more that we wanted to be there too. We had been renting or staying with relatives for years, but the desire for a place of our own grew stronger and stronger,” Jan says.

Online, they came across the newly built Baia Vista project. The location - quiet, green, and wonderfully breezy - immediately appealed to them. And when they saw the penthouse, the choice was quickly made.

What won you over?
“The location was decisive. High, unobstructed views towards the sea, a balcony all around. That feeling of space and tranquillity, that's what we were looking for,” says Elly. “And of course: the fact that we will soon just be able to walk to Melissa. That makes everything special.”

Jan & Elly look forward to travelling to Curaçao several times a year - and eventually spending the winter there. “The sun, the atmosphere, but especially the proximity to our family make the island ideal for us,” says Jan.

Do you already have plans for the property?
“Definitely,” says Elly. “Besides wanting to enjoy it ourselves, we also make the flat available to family and close friends. But above all, it will be our permanent, familiar place. A home, under the sun.”

What makes this new phase of life so special for you?
“That soon we can really be part of life there,” says Elly. “Not as a tourist, but as a family. Being together with our daughter, son-in-law and grandson - that is the most important thing for us.”

For those who hesitate to also invest in a home in Curaçao, Jan & Elly have clear advice: “Be well informed, be patient - and above all follow your heart. Family is the most valuable thing you have. If you get the chance to be closer together, take it.”

What feels like coming home to Curaçao to you?
“Coral Tobacco is really our place,” says Jan. “Tranquillity, nature, and little tourism. But we also enjoy Coral Estate for a relaxing day out. And Brass Farmer at Blue Bay... that's where we prefer to have lunch under a palapa, overlooking the sea. Then everything feels totally right.”

Read more from this series:

🔹 The word - Two sisters, one dream
About how two sisters and their partners with a shared love for Curaçao and a strong entrepreneurial heart are now realising their third home on the island - this time inside Baia Vista.

🔹 The word - The architect
On how architect Cees den Heijer designed Baia Vista as a living environment that blends into the landscape: with natural cooling, plenty of space, and a vision in which every day feels like a holiday.

🔹 The word - Sani Kitchen Projects
On how Michael Grootjans of Sani Kitchen Projects and his team ensure high-quality kitchens, bathrooms and tiles at Baia Vista - with an eye for quality, sustainability and natural luxury in a tropical climate.

🔹 The word - Friendship & investing
On how friends Ernst & Mitchell translated their shared entrepreneurial mentality and friendship into a joint real estate investment in Curaçao - a combination of forward-looking investment and own use at Baia Vista.

🔹 On the floor - STERKin, financing partner
On how Mark Sauerbreij, founder of STERKin, guides buyers of Baia Vista in financing real estate on Curaçao so that a dream home on the island can also be realised financially.